Amblyopia revisited: evidence for the heterogeneity of the syndrome

Functional amblyopia has been considered as a homogeneous syndrome for the last decade or so, mainly on the basis of animal experiments. Recently, important differences have been shown to exist between strabismic and anisometropic as well as deprivation amblyopia. Even strabismic amblyopia may be subdivided in different classes. These statements are supported with experimental and clinical data. Clinical relevance of the heterogeneity of amblyopia is discussed particularly in the view of the concept of its cure.